Adaptimmune to Build New R&D Facility in the U.K.
(Thomson Reuters ONE via COMTEX) -- OXFORD, UK and PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 06, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the use of T-cell therapy to treat cancer, today announced plans to expand its research and development operation into a major new purpose-built facility at Milton Park, Oxfordshire.
Construction of Adaptimmune's 67,000 square foot 'Enterprise Zone' building is already under way following a traditional groundbreaking ceremony. The flagship facility will provide laboratory space with associated offices, meeting rooms and a cafe area to accommodate a team of around 200 highly-skilled research and development specialists.
The new building is designed to support the Company's continuing growth of its research and development operation and is scheduled for delivery in late 2016.
Adaptimmune has signed a 25-year agreement with break options to lease the building from developer MEPC, which owns Milton Park, one of Europe's largest business parks and home to over 7,500 employees and 250 organizations.
"We are delighted to be working closely with MEPC on this exciting new building, which will provide best-in-class laboratories to support the expansion of our R&D team and enable continuing progress with our research programs," said James Noble, Chief Executive Officer of Adaptimmune.
"We started up Adaptimmune as three people on Milton Park in 2008 to research into engineered T-cell receptors to fight cancer, and we now have over 150 staff from across the world working out of our U.K. and U.S. facilities. They are contributing substantial scientific, development and corporate expertise to progress our preclinical and clinical programs and accelerate the development of our internal pipeline. All share a common aim of wanting to bring breakthrough treatments to cancer patients."
Following its foundation in the U.K., Adaptimmune launched its U.S operation in 2011 after a longstanding research collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. The Company has rapidly expanded its clinical programs and is currently running five Phase I/II trials in multiple cancers across the U.S. targeting the NY-ESO-1 cancer antigen in both solid and hematologic cancers with promising early results. Adaptimmune also has an IND open with its second therapeutic candidate, MAGE-A10, and a third candidate in planning for IND submission in 2016.
In May 2015, the Company achieved a successful IPO on NASDAQ, generating net proceeds in excess of $176 million, and is advancing a pipeline of therapeutic candidates based on its proprietary T-cell engineering platform.
"This is great news for both Adaptimmune and the continuing development of Oxfordshire's thriving biotech industry and economy," said James Dipple, Chief Executive Officer, MEPC Milton Park.
"Adaptimmune was established at Milton Park in 2008 in a small laboratory, and we have watched this pioneering company expand into a globally recognized business. We are delighted that we are able to accommodate their growth plans by building a bespoke, state of the art new building."
Nicholas Hare is the architect for the new building, which is part of the Park Drive Central scheme at Milton Park.
Images
Images are available from Margaret Henry, Adaptimmune (margaret.henry@adaptimmune.com)
1. CGICGI of the new Adaptimmune building (illustrative only)
2. Photo: Breaking ground for Adaptimmune's new R&D building, Oxfordshire.
L-R: Adrian Rawcliffe (CFO, Adaptimmune) - Philip Campbell (Commercial Director, MEPC) - Dr Helen Tayton-Martin (COO, Adaptimmune) - James Dipple (CEO, MEPC) - James Noble (CEO, Adaptimmune) and Paul Pavia (Head of Development, MEPC).
About Adaptimmune
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